Safe and Sound
by whatalovelyday
Summary: It's been 2 years since Frank and Nancy have seen each other. Joe invites Nancy to town to help take care of Frank, who is facing severe mental illnesses. Little does everyone know, Nancy is nursing one herself. Will Nancy be able to save Frank from the dark depths of his mind? Will they ever get the old Frank back? How will Nancy deal with hers? N/F. Language warning.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hello! Thank you for taking your time to read this Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys FanFic! This story is really focused on mental illness because in our modern society, there's a huge stigma around it and we really need to end that. I hope seeing your favorite teen detectives grown up and dealing and fighting with their own inner monsters, inspires and helps you talk about it and help you fight it. Of course, there will be a mystery and, of course, romance! Please enjoy and R&R!

Doorways

Chapter 1

 _5501 Willow Dr. Bayport, New York_

 _1:53 P.M_

The unusually chilly September wind swept at her golden locks as she waited outside the door. She looked around with a pleasant smile. The fall season suited the sleepy town of Bayport. The amber's, maroon's, and scarlet's all collided together to create a perfect scene. It had been 3 years since she had been back in New York. It had mostly brought back good, fond memories. Ones of teen detectives fighting crime, saving the day, even times of just relaxation. All except this one…

She closed her eyes shut.

 _"_ _Frank!"_

She squeezed her eyes tighter and suppressed her warm breath.

 _"_ _Nan..."_

Her hands shook, her heart rate sped up.

 _"_ _Nance—" The cry became muffled by the ear-splitting sound of a heart monitor flat lining._

She opened in her eyes quickly. What was once the sound of a deafening, monotone flat line, was now the buzzer and click of the door to the apartment complex that sat atop of a pizza parlor. She climbed the steps and stopped at dirty, green door that had an old piece of masking tape with the words _'Hardy'_ , plastered on it. Nancy knocked tentatively, while looking around at the grimy surroundings.

"Nancy Drew."

Nancy turned towards the door and smiled. Joe hadn't changed much, thankfully. His sandy blond hair was cut short and pushed back in a messy style. He was wearing a simple red t-shirt that made his muscles pop out. He was built like a bull as he was the brawn to the brains of his brother. A smirk was playing on his face and his light blue eyes gleamed with savvy charm. Joe was still Joe.

"Joseph Hardy." Nancy greeted, copying Joe's smirk with one of her own. He pulled her into a big hug and kissed her cheek. "It's been too long, Nance." It had been three years since she had last seen the Hardy's. They had been working on a case that'd gone out of their control. Looking back on it, they'd all seemed immature, even if they were in their early twenties and recently graduated from college. After it all ended up in flames, the trio became somber. They had officially matured in their professional careers. Nothing in their courses or even past experiences, could have prepared them for that case.

Joe invited Nancy into the apartment, collecting her luggage and coat as they entered. The apartment itself was warm, comforting and inviting, a stark contrast from the outside of the apartment. The whole look of the room was very modern with wooden floors, nice furniture, great lighting and stainless steel appliances.

"Nice place, Joe. Sure looks a whole lot better in here than out there!" Nancy remarked. Joe laughed. "This isn't my workings. If it was up to me, this place would be a pig sty! There's the artist of the masterpiece I get to call home." Joe pointed over to the woman who emerged from what Nancy assumed to be a bedroom.

"Hi, you must be Nancy! I'm Vanessa, Joe's fiancé." Vanessa gave Nancy a warm smile and a light hug. She was short girl with long dark hair and bright green-grey eyes. From what Nancy understood, she grounded Joe and was a sweet, down-to-Earth girl. She had practical reasoning and could be reserved from time to time, but could be as boisterous as her fiancé. They were a great pair.

"It's so great to finally meet you in person and put a name to a face." Nancy said cheerfully, "So, why'd you fly me in exactly, I understand you need help with something?"

Joe and Vanessa shared a look and Nancy saw flashes of melancholy between the two, but before Nancy could inquire, Vanessa turned to her with a smile that attempted to reassure Nancy.

"We should all sit down and talk. Would you like anything to drink, Nancy?"

Tears threatened to fall as she brushed her strawberry blonde hair back. She let out a sigh in her glass of ice cold water.

"I'm so sorry…I had no idea." Nancy whispered, looking down into her glass.

"I think he wanted it that way. He knew he was slipping, losing his grip. He didn't talk to anyone, reach out, communicate. He even stopped showing up to work… but I feel," He took a drink of his black coffee that Vanessa had made him, "You would've been the first person he would've contacted."

Nancy shook her head. This was not the Frank she remembered

"But why me?" Nancy questioned, rubbing the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"He loves you, Nancy! Jesus Christ, can you not see that?" Joe bit back at her.

"Joe!" Vanessa scolded him for losing his cool.

Tears streamed down Nancy's delicate, rosy cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Nance… but I know you love him too. We saw that a couple years ago, didn't we?" He said with a slight chuckle, gesturing to her left hand, more specifically her bare ring finger.

Nancy laughed as she lifted glass to take a drink. The thought of leading a different life than the one now… it was frightening.

Joe grabbed her attention away from her straying thoughts. "He needs you now more than ever. And I think you do, too."

Nancy closed her eyes and nodded.

"People are calling him crazy, insane, off his rocker… the loss of a beautiful soul, brilliant mind." Joe stopped himself as he choked on his words, Vanessa rubbed his back and laid a consoling hand on his. "That's my brother they're talking about, my other half."

Tears spilled out of both of the detectives' eyes. Joe got up and walked over to the kitchen's dry bar and picked up some manila folders. They were stamped 'classified'. He laid them out in front of Nancy on the coffee table.

Nancy looked up to Joe with a questioning look.

"Medical files. Frank's medical files, that is." Joe clarified

Nancy opened them up and read the medical reports. _Tremors in right hand, left leg limps, purported insomnia. Diagnosis: PTSD; Psychosomatic._ Joe must've read Nancy's mind because he clarified the medical accounts she had been reading.

"He's psychosomatic. It's all in his head, literally none of it is real. The limping, the tremors, the insomnia, it's his body's physical embodiment of PTSD."

Nancy shook her head and closed her tear-glazed eyes. _'Oh my God, Frank… what happened?'_

"So what is the cause of the PTSD? Did it just accumulate over the years and is finally getting to him now or did a certain case do this singlehandedly?" Nancy asked, flipping through the mixed case and medical papers.

"It was the Zappa case."

Nancy's eyes darted up.

 _"_ _Oh my God, Nancy!"_

Nancy tensed up, squeezing her eyes shut.

 _"_ _Nance! Nancy!" The fire roared and crackled._

Nancy reached to her left side of her ribcage. The scorching and burning sensation stung.

"Nancy? Is everything okay?" Vanessa asked in her sweet songbird like voice, snapping her out of her memories for the third time that day.

Nancy weakly nodded and took a deep breath.

"Where is he?" Nancy asked.

"Zappa?"

"No, Frank."

Joe nodded. "He still lives in his apartment in the city. I visited him last week. The place certainly is… interesting."

"How was he?"

Joe sighed. He sat for a bit, trying to find the right words to describe what he saw. He shook his head. "You'll see for yourself. Here's his address," Joe slipped Nancy a piece of paper, "Stay with him, help him find himself…" Nancy looked down to her lap. Joe quickly caught her attention, "Show him how to love again… get **_our_** Frank back"

Nancy got up from the couch and moved over to the bay window that looked out over some traffic and the bay. The reflection wasn't her, but a picture. A picture of a young couple embracing, smiling. Her and Frank. She had that same exact picture in her wallet, on her phone, framed on both her work and home desk.

She turned back to Joe.

"Please, Nancy, you're my only hope, Dad's and Mom's only hope… even Frank's only hope. Please, bring him back." Joe begged, tears streaming out of his light blue eyes. Vanessa, too, was crying. Frank was loved by all.

After the emotional plead, Nancy, herself, was emotional. She silently nodded. Joe let out a breath of relief and profusely thanked her. Nancy took the slip of paper and picked up her luggage Joe had left over by the door.

"Joe,"

The man looked up from his coffee.

"I don't think we should mourn the loss of a beautiful soul and a brilliant mind. It's merely shrouded in haunting memories. And I'd like to believe that behind that dark veil, **_our_** Frank is there, waiting to be saved. And I know for a fact, there is still enough time to rescue that brilliant mind and beautiful soul."

 _Apartment L8, New York, New York_

 _4:58 P.M_

Again, for the second time that day, Nancy found herself waiting at a door. In many cultures, doors or doorways were thought to be a new beginning, new opportunity. Yet, as Nancy stood in anticipation of Frank to greet her, she felt oddly tensed and nervous. What would she see behind that door? Would he even open? What had become of-

"Nancy?"

"Frank."

AN: Thank you for reading! Please remember to review!


	2. Chapter 2

**"It's alright. I'm here now."**

 **Chapter 2**

"Nancy?"

"Frank"

He stood leaning in the door way wearing dark jeans and a rolled up, long sleeved dark green shirt. His right hand was shaking vigorously as his left hand held an old wooden cane. His dark hair was tousled and he was sporting a five o'clock shadow. His almond brown eyes were droopy but the pupils were dilated with surprise and his mouth was agape.

He looked around the hallway of his complex before opening the door wider and letting Nancy in. The whole apartment had blackout curtains on the windows and the only lighting came from plug in lights in the sockets. Frank limped over to the dining room table and pulled out a seat for Nancy.

She looked around in shock. "Oh my god, Frank." She whispered to herself. She shrugged off her coat revealing a black turtleneck with a black and white skirt with black tights and boots. She went over to the table and sat in the seat Frank had offered.

"Um, want some coffee?" Frank asked. Nancy almost laughed. After all these years of not seeing each other. After all the pain. He is still chivalrous enough to offer a drink. His voice hadn't lost is calming effect, either. Still full of warmth, even after all they went through. Nancy accepted the offer. He limped over to the kitchen and grabbed the coffee pot. The coffee slashed around in the jug as his hand quaked. Nancy got up from her seat. "I can get it, Frank."

"No, I insist." He argued. Nancy sat back down as she knew he can be as stubborn as her.

He stood staring at the mug before lifting his shaking hand from his side. Everything, even the most simplest of tasks, must've proven difficult for Frank with one hand shaking and the other relying on a cane. His hand carefully and mechanically moved to the handle and slowly picked it up. The cup shook as Frank slowly made his way back Nancy. He got halfway over before his hand started to violently shake, sloshing some coffee out. He took one more step and all the coffee spilled out onto the floor.

"Damnit!" Frank yelled in anger, throwing the mug at the wall and shattering the cup.

"Frank!" Nancy cried out, running over to him and hugging him close to her as she tried to soothe him.

He broke down into sobs as his leg gave out and he sank to the floor. Nancy kneeled beside him, holding his hand on his chest and stroking his hair. "Shhh, it's alright, I'm here now." She said quietly. _"There's going to be so much we are going to have to work through."_ Nancy thought to herself with a sigh, _"But we'll get through it. Together. It's going to be okay."_ She sat, still comforting him as she gave herself reassuring thoughts, the very own coping skill her therapist taught her.

They sat as he collected himself and started to breathe more slowly. Nancy helped him up and supported him as she walked him to where his bedroom was. She sat him on the bed. "Why don't get ready for bed." She sighed. She gave him a peck on the cheek and started to leave.

"Stay with me." Frank called out.

Nancy nodded. "I'm just going to get changed and I'll be back.

She closed the door and walked back to the front door and picked up her suitcases. She found a guest bedroom and turned the light on. I was simple furnishings. A bed, a dresser a desk, and a mirror. She laid her bags on the bed and started to unpack. She tried to open the first drawer, but it stuck half way. Nancy reached her hand and pushed down on whatever was that blocked it and slid it open. Picture frames. Filled with picture frames. She took out Joe's senior picture. One of his parents, Laura and Fenton. One of all of the Hardy's. A picture of the two brothers at Joe's college graduation. Joe was in Frank's arms, laughing, and so was Frank. Nancy smiled and chucked as she set it back up on the dresser. The next picture caught her breath. It was her and Frank, at his father's detective agency. She was sitting on Frank's desk, her hands around his neck as she gazed up at him, laughing. He stood in front of her. His hands on the desk as he leaned into her as it appeared to be him telling a joke. Nancy smiled reminiscently as she stroked her thumb over Frank. She sat back down on the bed as she held the frame to her chest and let a tear run down her cheek.

"Oh, Frank. What happened to you?"


	3. Chapter 3

**The Long Night**

 **Chapter 3**

Nancy put on a tank top and pulled on some sweatpants before heading back to Frank's room. He was already under the covers and discarded his shirt and jeans.

"Nance?" Frank called out into the dark.

"Yeah it's me." Nancy assured. She walked to the other side of the bed and got under the covers. Frank turned to face her and took a deep breath.

"I don't know what to say.. after all this time." He started.

"Frank Hardy is at a loss of words?" Nancy teased.

He merely shrugged. He always had a witty quip in reply to Nancy's teases. It was disheartening to not have the teasing reciprocated. She quietly chided herself for expecting Frank to be like he was before... no one should expect that after what he's been through.. what they've been through.

"A 'hello' would be a good start." Nancy said with a smile. Her hands reached up and cupped his face.

"Hey" Frank said with a small smirk.

Nancy grinned. "That's a start." She thought.

"Where do we begin, Nance? How do we start?" Frank's smirk dropped and turned into a somber expression.

"Well.." She started, "I think it's going to be a long night. Why don't we start with the case."

Frank shook his head. "No, not yet.. please."

Nancy nodded. "What would you want to talk about then?"

"You."

"Me?" Nancy laughed.

Frank smiled and nodded.

"And what about me, Hardy." Nancy asked playfully.

His arms wrapped around her and pulled her closer.

"I'm really happy you're here. I really feel like I can start again. This place... felt like a house.. but when you came it feels warm like a home should be." Frank said slowly and carefully. He seemed to have a harder time articulating. He used to be so quick with his words.

Nancy smiled as tears pricked her eyes. "Thank you, Frank."

Nancy closed her eyes as sleep fell over her. It had been a long day emotionally and tomorrow would probably be even more so.

"Nancy?" Frank whispered. She grunted in response.

"Can I kiss you?"

Nancy opened her eyes and saw Frank leaning over her. His expression was still somber but his eyes had the same gleam he had before the...

Nancy nodded. He brought his shaky hand up to her cheek and she brought hers up to hold it and steady his. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but the same spark was there. The same love and passion was still alive. That assured Nancy. Not all was lost with Frank.

He rested his head on hers. Her hand still steadying his. Nancy felt his hot tears fall on her cheeks.

"Frank..." She said softly, "tell me what's going through your mind."

He took a breath and shook his head. "We should be married right now. A baby on the way, maybe. It shouldn't be like this!" He sat up on the bed and turned away from her, "If I didn't accept that goddamn case, where the hell would we be now? Not here! Not like this!" He yelled as his voice cracked.

Nancy got up and came around his side of the bed. She took his hands in hers. Tears streamed from his brown eyes.

"Everything was so perfect. Our relationship and career. You in Chicago, working with the PD. Your dream job. Me, Joe, my dad. I had my dream job working with them. We were so in love, Nance. I was so happy. We were so happy." Frank rambled, choking on sobs. "But I took the goddamn case and nearly got us all killed. I could've said no, Nance. Did you know that? But I took it! I'm so sorry I regret it!"

Nancy held onto him as his body shook with sobs. "Frank, you didn't know, please don't blame yourself! Joe and I are alive and we both care for you so much we're here for you."

Frank started to choke on his breath and hyperventilate. Nancy laid him back on the bed before running to the bathroom. She turned on the light and went through a medicine cabinet scrambling through pills. Finally, she found a sedative pill Frank had used for panic attacks in the passed. She grabbed one and a cup of water and returned to Frank. He was still hyperventilating, his face turning blue.

"Frank, here." Nancy urged, lifting him up. She stuck the pill in his mouth and pressed the glass up to his lips. He drank, his breathing slowing down as he did so. Nancy sighed with relief as he continued to drink and calm down. With his stable hand, he set the glass down on the end table. Frank laid back down and his eyes were already drooping with sleep. Nancy climbed back in and settled down, too.

"Nancy?" Frank whispered.

"Yes, Frank?"

"If you loved me..." he started slowly, sleep quickly taking over from the sedative, "why'd you leave me after it all happened?"

It felt like a knife stabbed Nancy's heart. The question she was dreading to hear. The same one she asked herself about a million times. It haunted her. And he had just asked it. Joe understood why. But would Frank? She looked over to Frank and found him asleep, soft snores escaping his mouth. The question would have to wait another time. Until she was ready to explain.


End file.
